Solomon

Just a few short weeks ago, I was nearly halfway through my fourth pregnancy.  At eighteen weeks, my midwife visited and was concerned when she couldn't find a heartbeat for the baby.  Days later, Dan and I sat in a darkened room for an ultrasound scan and saw our fifth child curled up peacefully inside, perfect but for his silence.  No heartbeat.

It's true that this was not a terrible shock.  I had felt something was wrong, for so many weeks.  As days of pregnancy had crawled by, the sickening nausea I experienced from the beginning was almost unbearable. I'd never had such stomach cramping and pain with the other three, even during the twins' pregnancy.  The kids and I had experienced symptoms of food poisoning in June after eating fruit that was part of a nationwide recall, and my "morning sickness" seemed to be entwined with normal "flu" symptoms until I couldn't tell the difference anymore.

The doctor was clear: this was not a miscarriage, and at nearly nineteen weeks, was not far enough along to be considered a stillbirth.  It was simply "fetal death", and as my body was choosing not to deal with it, labour would have to be induced.

Dan and I went to the local hospital Sunday evening after a day spent with friends, family, and our children.  We sat in quiet and near-darkness for hours.  Dan played his guitar and we spoke in hushed tones to each other and with nurses as they periodically came in to check on me.  In the end, I was only in proper labour for an hour, and gave birth to our tiny baby boy around 7am yesterday.  He was still in the amniotic sac, placenta fully attached --no complications or need for any other interventions-- it was a complete birth.

Not quite six inches long, weighing about 1 1/2 ounces, this little boy was small but clearly one of ours.  His long legs, big torso, and scrawny arms were an exact replica of his two oldest brothers!  Though I will never see him as they are now I can easily imagine him with auburn hair, freckled faces, and big grins, just like theirs'.

We called him Solomon simply because it means "peaceful", which perfectly describes how we've felt during this time.

My father built a box using cedar wood that Dan found in the woods last autumn.  Solomon, wrapped in blue flannel, rested in the box, and the kids placed treasures inside: a bird drawing from Righty, a long letter from Lefty, and a card from Coo.  Mr J wrote a note and shared some of his special things with his little brother: an English penny, a plastic ring, and three crystal "jewels".  

We buried baby Solomon in his little box, halfway between a white oak and a cedar tree.  Dan played the guitar and some of us spoke out our thankfulness to God for Solomon, in spite of his short life.  Wildflowers are everywhere at this time of year and we gathered handfuls of them to cover his box. The children decorated the mound that remained with chestnuts, acorns, sticks, and more flowers.

We sat outside on the ground nearby as the sun dropped down in the evening sky.  Golden sunshine  scattered ribbons of light around us and the quiet was peaceful.

Sadness is close, always nearby when we think about the unexpected death of our baby.  But a deep peace is near, too, always there.  The life of God inside us is the same breath that gave life to Solomon, and we are at peace knowing that Solomon is now with Him.

Dan and I are so thankful for our parents, who've been so helpful and supportive, and for our friends far and near.  Even though many of you are faraway, we've felt so much love from all of you. :)

All photos for this post were taken by Tracey Stanton.

This Morning

We woke up to a beautiful new blanket of snow!

I'm thankful for so many things today...  Coo's soft red tie-dyed blanket, and the thoughtful brothers who gave it to her for Christmas.  The sound of children upstairs having fun with a game and learning maths in the process.  Hearing my noisy wonky washing machine still working even though it's sounded like death for quite a few months now!  Planning and thinking about impending visits: friends first, family in a few weeks.  Babies arriving in the next few months: new nephews or nieces and a soon-to-come-sort-of-nephew whose life we prayed over and blessed aloud together last night.  

I'm thankful for tiredness after a busy weekend, meaning I'm choosing to sit down and write and think instead of rushing about trying to put everything right.  I'm thankful for the hot black coffee I'm drinking right now and thinking about the Guatemalan coffee farmers who will be struggling after losing seventy percent of their crop.  The worst it means for me is higher coffee prices; for them, it's devastating.  I'm thankful to pay higher prices if it means they will be able to sustain a livelihood.

I'm thankful for a small son who draws constantly and blue-tacks his drawings to walls everywhere and thinks he's making a movie next year and leaves Hobbit action figures on the floor for me to step on and likes doing chemistry experiments.

I'm thankful for a little daughter who is learning to eat well [more than just cake, fruit and nuts] and loves to put pretty outfits together and also draws and creates all the time.

I'm thankful for Righty who probably needs glasses but is so good at both connecting with people and thinking outside the box and loves his food and wants to grow up to tornado chase during the week and play in a band on the weekend.

I'm thankful for Lefty, living in his black and white world, who is very good at understanding complicated ideas and writes so well and acts grown-up and loves to help practically and will probably grow up to be a lawyer or a politician even though he says he wants to be a tornado chaser like Righty.

I'm thankful for my husband, who works diligently and also supports and helps with the kids' learning and the housework and yet still makes time to read my book draft and tell me what he thinks even though it's like nothing he would usually read.

I'm thankful for leftover roses, and bunting.

I'm thankful for much-needed surprise family time spent together after a few difficult and busy days.

I'm thankful for the music and the friends and the good food and the fun that usually fills our home.  I'm thankful that we do not need all of this to be happy, and yet we have it, right here, right now.

Thankful also for Mumford and Sons and The Civil Wars, who just received the recognition they deserved by winning Grammy awards last night! 

The St Nicholas Bag

This is the earliest I've ever decorated our house for Christmas.  I unpacked our little Christmas box on the final night of November, taking out all of the familiar things and stringing up extra fairy lights, replacing lamp shades and candle holders and bunting with our Christmas favourites.  The winter books fill the basket in the lounge, and we've loved reading all our old favourites today!

I've written before about our holiday traditions.  Last year, I scribbled an angry letter to Santa. I feel calmer this year; maybe I've forgiven him now.  I'm more focused on creating and expanding our own  ideas of celebration, rather than trying to fit in or keep up with the usual flow.  We like to latch onto traditions and ideas that better express who we are as followers of Jesus, rather than who we are as consumers of the latest stuff.

Our "St Nicholas bag", an idea born out of reading about the first St Nicholas, was very popular the first year we tried it.  St Nick was known for his anonymous giving, so we dropped extra coins and cash into a cloth bag set out for the purpose; visitors and friends were invited to do the same.  At the end of the holidays, we counted up the cash and made a decision together about the recipients of the little fund, all anonymous.

Last year, we tried to replicate the idea but it didn't work well.  I'm not sure why; maybe the recession?  So this year, I knew we needed something new.

Together, my friend Hannah and I thought of thirty-one "Random Acts of Kindness".  She wrote them onto strips of paper, and the St Nicholas bag has been filled with these folded strips.  We are taking one out every day, and seeking to complete that particular act of kindness for the day.

Today, our challenge was to write a letter to a faraway friend.  Coo, Lefty, and Righty sat down to write or draw quite happily.  Mr J opted out today, but I think that when he sees how much fun the others are having, he might join in!

Thankful Day

So, Thanksgiving... an entire day devoted to thankfulness, with the intention of continuing to maintain a thankful attitude in the future no matter what the circumstances and how difficult the days.

This past spring, I finally read One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp.  Favourite bloggers of mine have raved about it for a while, so I finally jumped on the bandwagon with gritted teeth [I dislike reading popular books, unless they qualify as nerdy --pride, I know!] and read Ann's book too.  For those of you who aren't familiar with it, in a nutshell, it's a challenge to cultivate gratitude and thankfulness: "a dare to live fully right where you are".

I began to compile my own list of gratitude, inspired by Ann's challenge to write down a thousand things to be thankful for.

Does it all sound a bit shallow? "That's nice for her, living in her sunshiny homeschooling bubble on her Canadian prairie farm, but for me, here in the stinking city, it just doesn't work!"  Yes, I thought so too. When I finally broke down and read the book, within three or four pages I'd forgotten all about my little fits of prejudiced judgment.

Anyway, I'll leave reviewing One Thousand Gifts until another day.

In honour of Thanksgiving Day, which is now known simply for the enormous dead poultry carcass that we cook and stuff ourselves with, I'll share from my list of thankfulness, dipping in and out as it seems appropriate.

Clean-smelling smoothness of new book's pages.  Squeezy Mr J's clinging hug.  Making wrong things right.  White dress to tie-dye blue as sky.  Twin towers of cumulonimbus clouds.  Tiny fairy lights valiantly illuminating dark window.  Stories not yet told.  Other stories told many times over.  Words of encouragement spoken in love.  Wrapping up in a blanket, hearing outside gale.  A three-year-old listener. Soft golden woven Grandmother bedspread.  Happy laughing shouting resourceful sons.  Sunshine beaming through cloud gaps.  Scrap of flannel and ribbon "banklet" loved so dearly.  Old books enjoyed by a younger generation.  Candlelit bonfire of tea-lights in glass jars.  Grace of God that covers the darkness.  Seven-year-old bruised grubby brave knees.  Old toys brought out to grace newer childhoods.  Scriptures written on stones.  Sharp fresh scent of just-pulled carrots.  Crackling fire spitting heat into cooling air.  Vanilla-scented candle burning creamy comfort. Summer's bunting fading in the autumn light.  Early-morning Scrabble on a birthday.  Cold toes, clean and worn smooth from bare feet in sand.  Homemade pumpkin spice latte made with fresh almond milk.  Faded blue grey rose toned autumn sky.  Starting a well-loved book for the umpteenth time. Quiet reminders of the preciousness of present.  Time... I have it in front of me today.

The murmur of the everyday and the reminder to seize it anyway.

Closer to November Than September

I haven't spent all my time baking in the last few weeks, though the recent barrage of recipe posts might give that impression! 

We've had an interesting week.  A second Hobbit Second Breakfast, a day out to the science museum, a peek at our local art gallery's Damien Hirst exhibition [composed mostly of one lamb floating in formaldehyde --slightly underwhelming], a visit from our homeschool assessor, a crafting afternoon with other creatives, a speedy funeral for two expired goldfish, visits from family and friends both old and new, and yes, some baking!

Last but not least, we've endured almost constant fighting between the three boys.  This mama had tried to leave the lads to sort things out themselves, but it has become impossible to ignore as their behaviour was beginning to have an adverse effect on the rest of the family. Coo has been resentful and grumpy as she's been subjected to listening to the almost-constant insults and rudeness exchanged by the male contingent of under-12's in our house. Dan felt the issue was connected to lack of sleep, so we explained this to the guys and asked them to refrain from reading in bed last night in order to be able to fall asleep early. They did so, and stayed in bed later this morning, and we have noticed a positive shift in their attitudes today; for which I'm very thankful!

I cannot believe how quickly the days are falling away now until the end of the year.  Christmas cards are waiting to be made, and baking plans must be drawn up for December.  The "to-sew" pile keeps growing, in spite of the crafting afternoon, and there are many more ideas in my head than space in my days.  

Always, always, I must remind myself that these are times for which to be thankful.  I am even thankful for the grey muddy rain of our October, for it sometimes preludes rare days like today.

Love

So thankful for these short [and not-so-short-anymore] people in my house!  These snapshots were captured a few days ago at a goodbye party for Auntie Toni and Uncle Andy as they head back to their home in Perth.

While Righty multi-tasks, chewing food and scratching an itch on his ankle using his other leg, Mr J decides that cramming it all in is always a great option.  Coo consumes a cucumber slice.

Cramming worked; however, now it's time to show off what was inside!

She loves playing with the dollhouse at Nanny's.

And these guys will start a football game anywhere, anytime, even while wearing flip-flops!

Today

A morning lie-in -- what a glorious treat!  Sun, clouds, and bursts of rain. Washing on the line.  Tidying and cleaning the house after a busy week.  Watching Olympic events online as a family --a first for us.  Cups of coffee at home as well as a shared cafetiere at Starbucks, in afternoon sunshine. Avocado, basil, and peach tortilla wraps.  Sleepy people, still tired from yesterday.  First fully restful day in a long, long time.

Praying

It doesn't have to be

the blue iris, it could be

weeds in a vacant lot, or a few

small stones; just

pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don't try

to make them elaborate, this isn't

a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which

another voice may speak.

--Mary Oliver

British Citizenship

I slipped this letter from an unprepossessing brown envelope yesterday around lunchtime.  It informs me that my application for British citizenship has been successful!  After a citizenship ceremony on the 5th of July, I will officially have British citizenship.  I will be retaining my US citizenship, and have the same dual citizenship status as Lefty, Righty, Mr J, and Coo.  

What a great relief to have the Life in the UK test and stacks of forms out of the way.  The only thing remaining is a rather depleted bank balance after such an expensive process!

American Mother's Day

I had a lovely day on English Mother's Day.  But today is my mom's day.

Three things about my mother that I'm thankful for:

• She breastfed me in an era when it was not popularly accepted.  As a result, it was the most natural thing in the world for me to be able to choose to feed my own babies.  
• She let me learn from home, "home schooling" me and my siblings.  We had a lot of freedom and plenty of time to develop our own interests and creativity.
• She's a brilliant Grammy. She reads stories aloud, plays fun card games, and has plenty of good ideas for things to do with her grandchildren.

Thank you, Mom.  I love you lots!

Joy of Thankfulness

Yesterday was Mother's Day.  I'm so thankful for my husband and children who made it a wonderful day.  Starting with...

Hot cups of herbal tea in bed, accompanied by a pile of handmade cards.  Three from Mr J, with drawings of penguins and sabre-toothed tigers, and one signed in his handwriting: "Love from Mr J, Righty, Lefty, Coo, and Dan."

Daffodils like sunshine and a colourful meal of favourite foods.

Creativity of Daddy and children; their "treasure hunt to the chocolate" was so much fun! [I shared out the miniature bars right after this much to everyone's delight]

In the UK, Mother's Day is traditionally observed on the fourth Sunday of Lent.  Around the world, it's celebrated on varying dates, according to Wikipedia.  

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought,

and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."

-G K Chesterton

Joy of Thankfulness

Thankful for

• wildflower seeds planted during a sunny almost-spring afternoon
• rough muddy earth patches in our garden covered with grass seeds, water, and prayer for growth
• loud dinners with friends and our own crazy over-tired kids, candle flickering in the centre of it all drawing us back to peace
• Righty -not a writer- yet so uncharacteristically prolific when writing about science!
• Lefty's oh-so-literal observations
• slyly clever funny laughing Mr J
• moody yet sweet two-year-old daughter
• husband's gradual narrowing-down of his search for his first pair of glasses... such a trying decision to have to make!

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought,

and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."

-G K Chesterton

Joy of Thankfulness

Honest truth, I was not feeling thankful after this morning.  

Two boys struggled to pay attention to their lessons. 

I've thought too much about how difficult it is to find time to create. 

After a quick look at my daily schedule, wondering what we were eating for tea tonight, I realised that I've forgotten to plan our menu for the week.  

I have not consumed nearly enough chocolate or drunk enough coffee in my lifetime.  

Well, the first three at least are true. 

So two boys have struggled to pay attention to their lessons? However... this mama needs to learn to be grateful for what I have!

One of these boys is incredibly creative with his hands.  He may have not done a great job of listening while I read from our history book, but he did make cardboard wings for his tiny Buzz Lightyear figure. He also drew some realistic-looking Larry Boy characters, and built a ship out of pillows.

The other boy has a mind that is full of constant possibilities.  He might have interrupted five or six times while I read aloud, but that was only because he was thinking of connections between what we were reading and something he read months ago, and wanted to let the rest of us know too.  He might have disappeared while we were in the middle of working on maps, but that was only because he went to sit down at the drums to play an amazingly complicated beat that he remembers from a song he heard once. He might have been unable to complete his history narration, but that was just because instead of recalling the facts of what we'd read, he was wondering why.  

Now, in the slowness of our usually chilled Monday afternoons, there are cloaked and masked and be-weaponed characters from Eragon stalking around our house.  

I have slowed down.  Lowered the expectations, quieted the frustrated mother voice, and listened as they narrated their book reports for World Book Day on Thursday.  I have spent quiet time with a daughter who wants to hear books read to her, dance, and be allowed to draw with pens while sitting beside me on the bed. 

In a slower mood, the menu is not a problem. After a quick glance in the fridge, I know which vegetables need to be used up before new ones arrive on Wednesday in our veg box.  

In a slower mood, the desire to have quality time to create is not a problem. I know that each project will be finished eventually. There will always be new ideas.  Just because I can't jump into them right away doesn't mean they will never happen.

Today, I'm thankful that I'm learning patience.

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought,

and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."

-G K Chesterton

Joy of Thankfulness

So yes, last week my co-op order arrived; well, December's order did!  Fortunately, Suma are absolutely amazing.  Our driver was in a hurry when she delivered the order, but she phoned me later on her break and offered to drop off what we needed on her way through the area this week.  She'll also be collecting the items that we don't need.  I'm thankful I'm able to order from an ethical business like Suma, who are willing to work with me even when I make mistakes! 

I'm thankful for completed sewing projects, fun times with the kids during half-term, visits from friends both new and old, and a few hours of listening to my husband read aloud.  [We're currently reading Follow Me to Freedom]  I'm thankful for safe travels for my father, going to the Middle East; and for my sister, returning to the United States.

Last but not least I'm thankful for recent creative time with my daughter.  She is beginning to draw interesting forms and shapes.

And she loves to help make cookies.  She seems to have inherited a cookie-dough-eating gene from Grammy and Auntie Jessica.  [I can't stand raw cookie dough!]  That's a bit of cookie dough clutched in her little hand, about to surreptitiously make it into her mouth...

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought,

and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."

-G K Chesterton

Joy of Thankfulness

Today, I'm thankful for...

• My muddy boys, playing so happily outdoors in our grimy garden, even though soon they and their mud will be all over the floor by the back door.
• Mr J's imaginative spirit and approach to life; I've enjoyed my repeated visits to his zoo, which has taken over our lounge.  All the [stuffed] animals are named, and living in different areas.
• Our week off from formal lessons; I've had time to sew!  More bunting, a few drawstring bags, a shopping bag, and a holster for Righty's cap gun, using a pattern he designed himself.
• All the recent inspiration I've had for creating our own raw recipes.  Dan had a treat of raw ice cream made with banana puree, fresh coconut cream and milk, cinnamon, and chopped walnuts.
• An evening out at the cinema with Dan, a rare treat, thanks to our friend Hannah who'd offered to look after the kids. We saw The Descendants.  It was good. Not the most cheerful film I've ever seen, but it had bursts of comedy in the midst of tragedy, just like real life; and about as far from the standard Hollywood plot as you can imagine.  For anyone with recent life experience of close family deaths, I think it could almost be described as cathartic.

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought,

and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."

-G K Chesterton

Joy of Thankfulness

I'll let the photos tell my thankful story for our last few days.  

First: this is a yummy and much-needed jar of beetroot, carrot, and apple juice, a 4am prelude to setting out on a journey to an early-morning appointment in London.  Thankful for the result of our trip: successful passport renewal, quality time spent with our two youngest children, a few hours with a friend, and safe travelling.

Thankful for our long-awaited snow, and for these intrepid little adventurers.  He ended up opting for the warm indoors long before her.  She stood alone outdoors, sobbing over his departure and refusing to be comforted, until someone mentioned the magic words... hot chocolate.

Thankful that the snow deepened to four inches, allowing Lefty and Righty to craft their own snowmen.  The thaw arrived less than twenty-four hours later. In the meantime, the Boys spent much of their waking moments outdoors happily enjoying the snow.

But... who's this? 

Today was Mr J's long-awaited haircut day.  Thanks to our patient friend and neighbour, Beckie, we now know that Mr J does indeed possess a pair of ears like the rest of us.

Finally, I'm thankful that our first foray into the world of eating 100% raw has initially been a success.  Dan is the only one of us actually "going raw" - this is a thirty-day detox he's been planning for quite some time.  So far, we eat breakfast together: soaked dried fruit and oats, with chopped nuts and apples added. The kids have rice milk over this; Dan and I have either fresh almond milk, pumpkin seed milk, or oat yoghurt.  Dan takes away salad, fresh fruit, and avocados or raw hummus for lunch.  Then, for tea together as a family, he eats what we eat, before it's cooked.  For instance, we had chickpea curry for tea; so for Dan, I set aside chopped onions, garlic, spices, fresh ginger, olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh coriander and later stirred them into a bowl of sprouted chickpeas, chopped cauliflower, tomatoes, and mushrooms.  He ate this with spinach salad.  Mmmm... if it wasn't so cold I'd be making the same for all of us!  Our foodies, Lefty and Righty, have already been asking to "eat what Daddy's having."

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought,

and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."

-G K Chesterton

Joy of Thankfulness

Our day: an icy cold Monday, with sunshine streaming through golden pink clouds at sunset.  

We're finally having some winter weather, and it looks set to stay for a while.  I'm thankful, so thankful for a warm house in which to work, play, and sleep.  

Thankful for homemade treats: after a long morning steeped in the history of the American revolution, we enjoyed lunch together, along with a square of spelt ginger cake, sweetened with molasses, swathed in a layer of cream cheese icing.  

Thankful for our friend and neighbour, Beckie.  She came round and gave The Boys' haircuts this afternoon.  Enjoyed an hour of coffee and chatting while she worked.  The result?  Two heads of cropped, curly auburn hair, looking rather identical.

Thankful for Nanny and Grandad, who appeared today with a box of blood oranges, which we immediately tucked into with a vengeance, having not had any for three days! 

Thankful for the brief but helpful appearance of Emily, who kept Coo happy and busy with "Go Fish" while I finished making tea.

Thankful for a constant flow of creative ideas; I seem to be swimming in them at the moment.  Just need the time to make them happen! The one I'm most looking forward to making a reality at the moment is soap-making.  I've had the supplies for this packed away in a cupboard for over a year now. My desire to make soap probably dates back to childhood, listening to my mother read "Little House" books aloud, and wishing I could someday be as resourceful as Laura's Ma and Almanzo's Mother in their constant use of the things around them to create what they and their families needed.

Other upcoming projects I'm anxious to start include: baby blankies made from organic cotton and bamboo fleece, hanging wall organisers for the boys' room, tee-shirt skirts, and more bunting.  Because I just can't stop hemming those triangles every time my sewing machine is out.  Addicting... my advice is, when it comes to sewing bunting, don't start; you'll never stop!  Paper bunting is easier and just as fun.

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought,

and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."

-G K Chesterton

Joy of Thankfulness

So, Monday again.

I'm sipping hot black coffee and thanking God for weak winter sunshine streaming through our windows this afternoon. Our winter has been mild so far; plenty of rain and grey days, but very little real sunshine, so today's glimpses through creamy silvery clouds are definitely something to be thankful for.  

Enjoying the busy chaos of film production happening all around me.  Lefty is coordinating the boys' very own Lord of the Rings visual adaptation.  Constant change is the hallmark of this rather haphazard venture, for instance; some days Righty has left the crew and yet on other days he appears to have taken charge.  Mr J goes back and forth between making his own [hilarious] LOTR short videos on Photobooth, to being heavily involved with the art and scenery creation needed for the older boys' film.  

Our weekends are always busy; the past one was no different.  Birthday outing to attend, visiting and dinner at Nanny and Grandad's, making enchiladas yesterday to share with fellow Americans I met when taking my UK citizenship test last week, Sunday evening open house.  

All fun times to be thankful for, but I'm so, so grateful for our peaceful Mondays.  They could very accurately be termed our day of rest.  Apart from work and learning, we do little else.  The boys appreciate the entire afternoon to spend on creative play, with no schedule or outside obligations.

And how can I resist mentioning being thankful for this sweet girl, all curled up in her big girl bed underneath her"spotty one duvet", as she calls it?

Joy of Thankfulness

Mondays seem to be one of those days when I find myself wanting to be thankful.  I'm not naturally a very grateful person and have to work hard to cultivate a thankful attitude, so this in itself is something to be thankful for!

Starting with the simple things.  

Blood oranges are now in season...yay!  We've been eating them indulgently, but today Oscar and I juiced a few; the result was used to create a sticky, pistachio-dotted homemade version of Turkish Delight.  We were studying the 17th century Ottoman Empire in Story of the World, Vol 3.  Of course, after all this, we had to listen to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe during lunch, because no sweet-eating experience in our house is quite complete without hearing of Edmund's delicious encounter with enchanted Turkish Delight... and the unfortunate consequences.

A happy hour in a bookshop and lunch with a friend yesterday: a lovely, long-planned birthday treat.  Mmm... perfect. Coo came along too and arrived home accompanied by a shiny purple balloon.  Meanwhile, the lads and Dan went off for some outdoor adventuring, inspired by lately reading about Bear Grylls' SAS selection training in his autobiography.

A few free evenings in the last two weeks, spent watching Pride and Prejudice, the most recent miniseries. [apart from appreciating the beautiful cinematography and costumes, I'm not a fan of the overly simplistic 2005 movie] Do other book lovers out there rejoice, like me, to hear non-stop real quotes from the book, onscreen? I have such respect for the makers of this 1995 version; they kept to the original plot and didn't feel the need to change a thing.  I'm re-reading the novel again in my spare time and plotting an upcoming book review!

And here are some of the people in the world who give me the greatest joy, and for whom I'm very thankful...

The Boys playing SAS selection... on their tea break!

Watching one of Hatty's Polaroid photographs develop 

 Helping 

Coo rolled a Yahtzee!

Small Joys

• First sleepy glance out the rain-spattered window: a many-layered cloudy landscape of sky with a tiny bit of sunshine peeking through.
• Adding milk froth to my usual black coffee.
• Watching my kids dance around the kitchen to Bruce Springsteen singing "O Mary Don't You Weep".  They were using carrots and leeks for guitars and fiddles!
• Helping the three boys wisely spend their Christmas money on Amazon.  I think I always knew we were going to end up with three sets of miniature Tintin figures!
• Enjoying our California girl's last post, about her New Year's resolutions.
• Planning two new recipe posts: gingerbread cake, and haricot bean soup. Watch this space.
• Thinking about how nice it was to see our friends yesterday. Ruth and her family stopped by for a few hours, which flew past too quickly!
• Feeling thankful, once again, that we're not ill during these holidays, unlike last year  and the year before!
• Still wearing my pajamas at eleven in the morning.
• The invention of italics...